Main menu

Actos is a medication that many people use or have used for type 2 diabetes. Now, there is growing concern of a link between actos and bladder cancer. There are so many studies linking the medication and bladder cancer that the FDA issued a warning. The agency published a “Drug Safety Communication.” The publication concluded that there was a risk of developing bladder cancer depending on the dosage and how long actos was used. The link was actually discovered during clinical trials but doctors were unaware of it. Therefore, they freely prescribed actos.

Many former actos users want to take action against the maker, Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Thus far, there is no Actos class action lawsuit. There is a multidistrict litigation (MDL) and some mass torts. Mass torts and MDL’s allow plaintiffs to work together in pre-trial proceedings but each person has a separate claim. Plaintiffs file lawsuits for different reasons including:

manufacturer’s product was defective

the medication was inadequately tested

testing data was hidden from the public

failure to warn the public about possible side effects

Plaintiffs may be entitled to punitive damages. Punitive damages are awarded to punish the manufacturer for not warning the public. Other possible damages include medical bills and funeral expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and the loss of consortium. The actos case is so troubling because there was sufficient warning. Kaiser Permanente conducted a ten-year study. The study was sponsored by the manufacturer and required by the FDA. The study was required because pre-clinical trials showed increased urinary bladder tumors in rats.

Further, the French Medicines Agency did a study from 2006 to 2009. They looked at 1.5 million patients. It found that people who took the active ingredient in actos were at a greater risk for developing bladder cancer. In addition, the findings of a study were published in a 2012 issue of the British Medical Journal. 83 percent of the patients, who used actos, increased their risk of bladder cancer. Consumers have to be able to expect more from drug manufacturers. In April 2015, Takeda settled 9,000 actos lawsuits for $2.37 billion. Contact a lawyer if you are a victim.

Someone who is presently in university is already making an effort to satisfy their personal objectives as well as to be able to come across a job once they graduate. One method to increase their chances of getting the career they need would be to take a few extra courses in their subject. This could be quite easily done throughout the summer months or perhaps whenever they are on a short break from school. By taking additional courses in a subject matter that may be associated with their major degree, they can considerably increase their likelihood of getting the job they need.

The individual could want to take into account taking injection molding classes while they’re on break. Taking these types of classes lets them show they’re making an effort on studying as much as possible before they graduate and can provide them with certificates indicating just what they’ve learned. In case two different people graduate along with exactly the same degree, but one has taken these kinds of added classes and the other hasn’t, the individual that has taken the extra classes will probably be the one picked for the work. It may help provide them with an advantage and also exhibits they’re serious about getting the job and therefore that it is something they really do wish to accomplish.

On top of helping the individual get a work, they can take scientific molding seminars if they’re on smaller breaks to be able to continue to learn and to not get off track if they are out of school for a small period of time. They’ll learn a great deal more concerning the subject material and also they can continue to be in the exact same rhythm they have been in whenever they were going to instructional classes on a daily basis. This could also help the time move faster thus it seems like the time until graduation isn’t as far.

There are really many advantages of taking additional courses. Almost each and every university student must look into the added courses they may be able to take, even when they may be only worried about job prospects once they graduate. To get more information on instructional classes such as the kinds here, check out PaulsonPlasticsAcademy.com now. You can get all the details you need in regards to the instructional classes as well as proceed to enroll in the course or meeting you would like to take.

Get urgent $ 300 www.getcashdaycom North Hempstead New York no checking account Get money $750 dollars faster than bank. You can also apply instant $ 1000 wwwmylenderwire.com Virginia Beach, VA no employment verification .

Are you in the fiscal bind? Sometimes you may feel like you want a very little dollars to cover all your expenses? Effectively, check out the contents of this short article to see what you are able find out then you can take into account getting a pay day loan. There are several tips that stick to to help you determine if payday cash loans will be the proper determination for you, so be sure to continue reading.

If you’re thinking about applying for a payday loan, comprehend the necessity of make payment on loan rear punctually. Once you extend that loan, you’re only paying out more in attention that may mount up quickly.

Think about looking at other feasible loan sources before you decide to obtain a payday loan. It is advisable for the pocketbook provided you can acquire from a member of family, protected a lender financial loan or even a visa or mastercard. If you can get a standard line of credit, you will shell out much less in fascination in the long term.

Understand what APR means just before agreeing into a cash advance. APR, or yearly percentage level, is the level of fascination the company fees about the bank loan when you are having to pay it back again. Even though payday cash loans are fast and practical, compare their APRs together with the APR charged from a financial institution or perhaps your visa or mastercard business. Most likely, the payday loan’s APR will likely be better. Check with just what the pay day loan’s rate of interest is first, before you make a decision to obtain any money.

Keep your eye out for companies that tack on his or her financial fee to the next pay out cycle. However , individuals have a tendency to just carry on paying out this kind of costs and the loan by no means receives entirely repaid. Unfortunately, some debtors experienced to pay for approximately five times their original bank loan prior to getting it paid off.

Double-look into the requirements for payday loans set out by the loan provider before you decide to pin your entire expectations on obtaining one particular. It is really not unusual for lenders to anticipate you to definitely be employed during the last 3 to 6 months. The company needs to feel positive that you are going to pay back the bucks in a well-timed fashion.

Generally offer the cash advance company current and exact information and facts. A spend stub will be a great way to ensure they have the proper proof of income. You must also give them an effective contact number to attain you at. Providing wrong or lacking details can lead to a lot lengthier hanging around time for your payday advance to acquire approved.

Make sure that your pay day loan company is functioning in your own land of origin. It may demonstrate that they operate from a state as soon as the loan company they may be attaching one to operates away from the land. You could find yourself stuck inside a particular arrangement which could amount to much more than you thought.

Look at all the payday advance choices before you choose a cash advance. While most creditors call for settlement in 14 days, there are a few creditors who now give you a 30 day phrase which may fit your needs greater. Different payday loan loan companies can also offer you diverse repayment alternatives, so pick one that meets your needs.

It is essential that you understand the complete value of your payday loan. It can be common expertise that cash advance loan company fee excessive interest levels and fees. Several paycheck lenders, however, cost huge processing charges on top of the normal rate of interest. See the small print to learn precisely how much you’ll be charged in service fees.

If you need a payday loan for the bill that you may have not been able to pay due to lack of funds, talk to the people you owe the amount of money very first. They may let you pay out delayed instead of take out an increased-curiosity pay day loan. In many instances, they will allow you to make the obligations in the foreseeable future. When you are resorting to pay day loans to acquire by, you may get buried in debt rapidly. Keep in mind that you can explanation along with your creditors.

Shop around about any payday loan before agreeing to it. Lots of people consider pay day loans will be the most trusted personal loans given that they get the finest conditions, so you’d thrive to do your research to find a dependable loan loan provider.

Online payday loans are recognized by many as a valuable approach to getting the financial assets needed to make comes to an end meet in a crunch. Well before utilizing this type of financial loan, make certain you completely recognize all there may be into it. Never forget what you’ve figured out in the following paragraphs and you may be in the correct situation to make an informed determination.

Get urgent $ 600 get cash day San Francisco, CA within next business day Get money $750 dollars faster than bank. You can also apply quick $ 900 my lender wire Milwaukee Wisconsin within one day .

A lot of people are finding themselves requiring a supporting hands to cover urgent expenses that they can’t afford to pay out easily. If you actually need dollars, you may want to think about a payday advance. You will have to realize that there is a determination that comes with payday cash loans even though. You must read through this report for more information specifics of payday loans.

Be sure that you comprehend precisely what a payday loan is before taking one particular out. These lending options are usually granted by businesses that are not banking institutions they offer modest sums of income and demand minimal documents. The loans can be found to most individuals, while they normally need to be repaid in 2 weeks.

Look at shopping on the web for any payday advance, should you will need to take one particular out. There are various websites that supply them. If you require one particular, you might be currently small on money, why then squander gasoline traveling around trying to find one that is available? You have the option of carrying it out all out of your desk.

Look at all costs carefully with payday cash loans. This is the way you will know what the fee for credit the amount of money is. There are a variety of restrictions on rates that help out consumers. Firms skirt these rules by asking insanely high costs. These fees add more a lot to the overall cost you have to pay for credit their money. This will enable you to determine if it’s rewarding to get a bank loan.

Don’t be so fast to provide from the personal information throughout the pay day loan program procedure. Occasionally that you may possibly be required to give information and facts like a interpersonal stability variety. Just realize that there may be ripoffs which could turn out promoting this particular information to third celebrations. Be sure you are getting financing from your trustworthy, honest business.

In case you are looking for a payday advance on the web, ensure that you contact and talk to an agent before getting into any details to the web site. A lot of con artists make-believe to be payday advance companies to acquire your cash, so you should be sure that you can reach an authentic particular person.

Prevent the sense of fiscal comfort upon having the money from the cash advance. It is vital that you keep up with all of the monthly payments and meet your conclusion of the package. Breakdown to fulfill the deadline will lead to tremendous charges and in many cases choices procedures.

A great method of decreasing your expenditures is, getting whatever you can employed. This will not just relate to automobiles. This too implies garments, electronic products, home furniture, plus more. In case you are not really acquainted with auction web sites, then make use of it. It’s a fantastic place for getting exceptional deals. Should you require a new pc, search Google for “refurbished pcs.” Numerous pcs can be bought for cheap at the high quality. You’d be surprised at how much money you will conserve, which will help you spend away from all those payday loans.

Make every single try to get rid of your cash advance promptly. In the event you can’t pay it back, the loaning company might force you to roll-over the money into a replacement. This a different one accrues their own set of fees and finance charges, so actually you might be paying out these fees twice for a similar dollars! This can be a critical deplete on your own banking account, so decide to pay the loan off of right away.

Contact the pay day loan organization if, there is a downside to the repayment plan. Whatever you decide to do, don’t disappear. These organizations have pretty competitive series sectors, and can often be difficult to handle. Prior to they take into account you delinquent in repayment, just refer to them as, and inform them what is happening.

Be sure to do your homework just before selecting a payday loan. Don’t assume each and every pay day loan is identical. They usually have diverse stipulations. Research prices to the bank loan that provides the best mix of monthly interest, fees, and a chance to reimburse in order that you get the very best package achievable.

For people with evaluated a bunch of their possibilities and have made the decision that they must use an unexpected emergency payday advance, be described as a wise buyer. Perform some research and choose a paycheck loan company which provides the best interest levels and service fees. If possible, only obtain what you could manage to repay with your next salary.

You may get out from a financial bind with pay day loans. But, you must learn the relevant terms in order to avoid distressing unexpected situations. This article should have offered you a great resource of knowledge that will help you inside your selection-creating approach and alleviate several of your worries about cash.

In case you are generally in typically the midst associated with a tough financial condition, you need to consider implementing for cash loans in order to help anyone cover urgent situation or essential expenses. Pay day advance loans tend to be small, interim loans in which give anyone money any time you will need it and so you may pay your current bills and also avoid the actual consequences regarding bounced inspections and various other late bills. Payday financing institutions occur in each and every state and also can aid you receive the resources you require when a person need these. Following are generally the leading rewards payday developments can offer you you:

Quick to use and be eligible is a substantial benefit. Using as well as qualifying with regard to any pay day advance loan or perhaps payday money advance will be extremely quick, since typically the only constraints are that will you have got sufficient earnings and get never defaulted on an additional payday financial loan in the actual past. Whenever you use for a cash loan canada, your current personal and also banking info is safeguarded, since pay day advance lending establishments cannot offer it to be able to other firms. Stuffing out a good application and also receiving the cash progress loan merely takes the few mins, and numerous payday loan providers offer anyone a one-hour guarantee regarding receiving your own money soon after they get paid. Payday financial loans are temporary, which indicates an individual may pay these people back effortlessly when anyone get your own personal next paycheck.

Recently, when the Cape was enjoying some really prolonged hot summer weather and thousands of people filled the beaches of Cape Town, South Africa, a man was savaged by a shark at Fish Hoek Beach. This unfortunate swimmer was savaged several times by the shark which kept returning to feed on him according to eyewitnesses; creating the most sensational reporting in the media. For many of us who grew up having watched the spectacular Stephen Spielberg movie “Jaws”; the thought of such a horror makes the blood run cold.

Should this tragedy put visitors off swimming on the beautiful beaches of Cape Town or to have a negative impact on tourism? When you are planning your holiday and choosing your Cape Town, South Africa, holiday accommodation, will you wonder if the beaches are unsafe and that your life may be threatened by an ocean predator?

False Bay abounds with sharks, especially the fearsome great white, but an abundance of prey keeps them far offshore as a rule. In spite of shark encounters having become a popular adventure tourism attraction, shark attacks on Cape Town beaches are relatively rare. Certainly this is the first attack on Fish Hoek beach in recorded history. Although there have been some 17 shark attacks off the Cape Town’s coastline since 2000, only 4 of them were fatal. Since the shark spotter program was introduced, the incidence has decreased significantly. This active shark spotter program began as a community program that started at Muizenberg beach in October 2004. The huge success of the program has shown shark spotting as an effective safety and resulted in funding being provided by WWF through the Table Mountain Fund and the City of Cape Town.

The website of the shark spotters gives the following information about their activities: Shark spotters operate daily from various beaches along the Cape Peninsula every day during the summer season, and swimmers are encouraged to use areas where shark spotters are on duty. When you choose a beach for bathing or surfing, do chose one where you are able to see the shark warning flags and note that these are:

Black Flag: Shark spotter is on duty but the visibility is poor; difficult to determine if there are sharks in the area.Shark Flag (white flag with a black shark on it): A shark is currently in the area. Swimmers are advised to stay out of the water until this flag is lowered and the siren has stopped sounding.

If these measure do not reassure the visitor, this article aims to tell something of the many lovely, walled tidal pools and protected beaches in our Bay, where both children and adults can swim and play without having to keep a wary eye out for any dangers, except perhaps too much sun, because Cape Town, South Africa, has such great summer sunshine.

Just past the popular surfing beach of Muizenberg lies the elite suburb of St James Beach which offers a large, gently sloping tidal pool which is great for children. Here you will find the brightly coloured bathing boxes that characterize so many picture postcards of Cape Town holiday destinations, and will offer you an opportunity to take great holiday snaps.

A larger, deep tidal pool for serious swimming with a smaller one for kids is found at Kalk Bay. This pool is right at the Brass Bell restaurant, famous for its sea food; both formal and casual dining options. Kalk Bay is an enticing little village with its main street lined with galleries, antique and collectible shops and restaurants with quaint Victorian shop fronts. Although there are many restaurants here, there is little more enjoyable than walking through the fishing harbour and standing in a queue with the locals waiting to be served at Kalky’s – said by some to serve the best fish and chips in Cape Town.

Traveling toward Simonstown and Cape Point, past Fish Hoek, is something of a hidden treasure often missed by visitors, which is Glencairn beach. There is a clean sandy beach which is seldom crowded and there is a large tidal pool jutting out from the beach into the sea, making it ideal for children to play and swim in safety. Just opposite the beach you will find the Southern Right hotel where from Fluke’s restaurant you can enjoy good food and spectacular views from the deck across the bay.

The historic Naval Town which is Simonstown, has much to attract the visitor, but here you will find the remarkable safe Seaforth Beach, where a family can spend the day relaxing on the verdant green lawns from which you can look out onto the sandy beach. A little Bay is formed by a number of very large boulders which makes it as protected as if it was a tidal pool and where one can really enjoy swimming in safety. Seaforth restaurant has a reputation for serving good seafood dishes and has a position on the rocks above the water from where you can enjoy a wonderful view to accompany your food.

On the outskirts of Simon’s town on you will find Boulders Beach which has earned an international reputation as the breeding ground of a large population African penguin. This is a beach where one has to pay in order to control numbers and is one of the best and safest swimming beaches in Cape Town. It lies in a small cove and is protected from the wind and sea by giant granite boulders.

Finally, a little further on the road towards Cape point you will find Millers point which is a family friendly recreational area, it has a children’s tidal pool, and many water activities.

There is plenty of choice for extra- safe bathing places, but before you eschew the open beaches, consider the risk involved in swimming in the domain of the shark. Almost every day one gets into a car, and seldom thinks about the risk, yet you are far more likely to be involved in a motoring accident, or even one in your shower at home, than a shark attack. According to the Internet, these are the odds:

Chance of dying from a car accident: 1 in 18,585
Odds of fatally slipping in bath or shower: 1 in 2,232
Chance of dying from a shark attack: 1 in 3 million

Enjoy our beautiful Cape Town beaches – and don’t even contemplate the 3 million to one odds that your day might be spoiled!

Remember too that all of these beaches are conveniently situated to Horizon Holiday Cottages, Noordhoek where one can find affordable Cape Town holiday accommodation.

The town of Knysna is along the Garden Route in South Africa between Mossel Bay and Storms River, the Garden Route runs parallel to a coastline which features lakes, mountains, golden beaches, cliffs and dense indigenous forests.

The Garden Route has a Mediterranean Maritime climate, with moderately hot summers, and mild to chilly winters. It is one of the richest rainfall areas, most of which occurs in the winter months, brought by the humid sea-winds from the Indian ocean.

This natural wonderland is home to the largest and smallest of creatures, from the Knysna seahorse to the Knysna elephants, rare delicate butterflies and the endemic Knysna Loerie, a colourful forest bird. Over 200 species can be found in the abundant fynbos and forest settings. Knysna is also famous for its delectable homegrown oysters, enjoyed with locally brewed beer in quaint pubs and restaurants. An eclectic mix of art galleries showcases the diversity of talent in the area. The area also offers lagoon cruises, forest hikes, golf and adventure sports. A visit to the Knysna Quays is a must.

Any time of the year is good for visiting the area, depending if you enjoy a peaceful retreat during the winter months, or a bustling holiday destination during the summer.

The name Knysna is a Khoi word but it’s uncertain as to its exact meaning. It could mean ‘place of wood’, or it could mean ‘fern leaves’, but its most probable meaning is straight down’ – an obvious reference to the Heads. Knysna Heads must be the most striking geological features along the entire southern African coastline. They flank a deep but potentially treacherous channel through which the sea pours in to flood the wide and breathtakingly pretty lagoon at the mouth of the Knysna River.

Knysna’s history began in the year 1804, the year that saw the arrival of George Rex, rumoured to be the illegitimate son of King George lll. He purchased the estate known as Melkhoutkraal on the shores of the lagoon and moved his entire family and considerable entourage down to Knysna to settle.

Knysna is one of the Southern Cape coast’s best known holiday destinations, situated between lush forests and the shores of the peaceful lagoon – it offers many activities and attractions of a wide variety.

The most well known attraction being the heads – two great sandstone cliffs guarding the mouth of the lagoon which connects the estuary with the sea.

A lookout has been erected on the Eastern Head, commanding spectacular views of the lagoon, Leisure Isle and Knysna. The Western Head is a privately owned nature Reserve – Featherbed Bay. The Knysna Lagoon is one of the few places along the coast and in the world that supports a oyster hatchery. And the Knysna oysters are reputedly among the tastiest in the world.

Millwood House Museum in Queen Street houses material relating to the history of the town, and includes artifacts once owned by George Rex. It was built from yellowwood at the end of the previous century during the gold rush. From Millwood, it was later moved to Knysna.

Knysna has many attractions in the surrounding area as well, one of the most spectacular being the Knysna Forest, which is still evident in many places within the town as well. It is the largest indigenous forest in South Africa comprising of tall and ancient trees of local and exotic species, including stinkwood, yellowwood, blackwood, ironwood, white alders and Cape chestnut. Not forgetting the ferns, creepers and wild flowers which add colour to this endless green collage. The forest is vast and extremely dense in places making it impenetrable.

Animal life is limited to a few small antelope and a large variety of birds, such as the famous Knysna Loerie. Home to the once great herds of Knysna Elephants, it is believed that only one lonely cow remains today.

See more about the Garden Route [http://www.travelinsouthafrica.co.za]

Northern Santa Barbara County, and the California coast beyond, offer tourist attractions worth spending a few days enjoying. There are a number of natural wonders and great tourist stops to be seen driving north from Santa Barbara. This trip is suitable for both couples and families.

Take the San Marcos Pass road as you leave the city of Santa Barbara. This is a breathtaking mountain drive that heads up the side of La Cumbra Peak on Highway 154. Along the way to the highest part of the highway, there are many scenic turnouts for a panoramic view of Santa Barbara, the Channel Islands National Park and the many miles of coastline.

Once over the pass, you’ll drive by Cachuma Lake. This is a state recreation resource for camping and fishing.

Santa Ynez, for which this valley and region are named, is an old California mission town. Here you will find a number of fine art galleries and the county’s fine wineries. Notable celebrity homes here include President Reagan’s ranch and the Neverland retreat of entertainer Michael Jackson.

The quaint community of Solvang is just a few miles west of Santa Ynez on Hwy. 246, just west of Hwy. 101. It is a remarkable replication of an old Danish village, complete with a giant windmill. The town boasts some of the best Danish bakeries and buffet smorgasbords in the country. Spend a few hours here for lunch, and to visit the Scandinavian craft and souvenir shops. You’ll forget, for just a while, that you’re in the heart of Southern California horse and wine country.

The beautiful state beach parks just a few miles north of the city are yet another group of attractions. Leaving town, travel north along the coast on Highway 101. The road today retraces the historic El Camino Real, or King’s Highway. Check out El Capitan, Refugio or Gaviota state beach parks. They offer fishing, camping, and picnic sites on remarkable beaches.

Santa Maria is the next town up the highway. Santa Maria Tri-Tip barbecue is a local tradition. It’s not like anything you’ll find in Texas or other barbecue meccas. This is rubbed and marinated barbecued sirloin roast. It’s sliced thin, and is usually served rare. Typically it is eaten with corn tortillas or on a sandwich bun, and along with Santa Maria’s slow-baked Poquito beans. It’s well worth the stop to try.

Less than half an hour north of Santa Maria is the picturesque seaside town of Pismo Beach. Most of the motels and restaurants are on the ocean side of the highway, set on the cliffs overlooking a view of miles of coastline. Pismo Beach claims to be the world’s clam capital, owing to the unusually large, tasty and abundant Pismo clam. Several versions of clam recipes are available in a number of the local restaurants.

The nearby Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. It is a 1,500 acre sand dune state park for ATV and 4-wheel vehicles. There are camping and RV facilities available. This is one of the few places in California where driving on the beach is permitted. Bringing folding beach chairs is a good idea.

Continuing north from Pismo Beach, you can drive up the tiny coast road to the town of Morro Bay. It’s a town with a distinctive New England coastal flavor. This is where the Pacific Coast Highway becomes part of the National Scenic Byways Program. Enjoy the road stretch from Morro Bay on the south, along the Big Sur coastline, up to Monterey at the north. Without exaggeration, this is one of the most beautiful and breathtaking roads anywhere in the world.

Exploring the central California coast is a great and affordable journey. There’s no need to forgo travel plans because of today’s high cost of living.

When making travel arrangements for your clients for around-the-town-travel, use the services of a Denver Limousine or a Denver car service. These versatile services cater to well-planned business travel and deliver your personnel efficiently and reliably as promised. Whether it is retrieving travelers from the airport, managing travel to a lunch business meeting, or taking a group to a presentation across town, using this private mode of transportation solves many different scenarios at one time!

Entrusting your favorite clients to a professional service is one way to pamper them and get the job done at the same time. By providing accomplished and reliable transportation during a busy workday, the convenience of pre-arranged travel ensures that functions begin on time and with a minimum of transport fuss. Parking in busy areas becomes a non-issue. Being expected to pay mileage and parking to attendees at a meeting is no longer a problem. Needing a last minute ride is not going to come up in discussion. Using pre-arranged transportation simplifies the day for everyone! Arranging transportation is a time-saving act that can make your whole schedule run better on hectic days!

Be certain that your valuable items, as well as your guests, arrive safely at your destination. By contracting with a limousine service or car service in advance, provision can be made to leave room for vital components of a presentation, including written materials, equipment, and supplies.

Keep that meeting schedule on target by being sure your key people are all in attendance! Once you have made arrangements for all of the “nuts and bolts” of your winning presentation are in order, make sure that all of your key players are there also. Arranging to get them there in advance eliminates lateness or absenteeism and ensures that your entire workforce is accounted for.

Take advantage of the professionally trained drivers and staff to meet your business goals. Once you trust the driving to accomplished professionals, you can rest assured that no one is going to lose directions or take a wrong turn and miss half the meeting driving around lost! When you use drivers with access to the best maps and who have experience driving the most efficient routes, commuting and arrival problems are taken care of!

Be satisfied that your business travel is in the best hands imaginable! Leave the logistic planning of moving your key people to the professionals. A Denver limousine service or Denver car service is the key to an organized function, picking up and delivering your staff on time and without the stress of managing their own vehicles. Supplying that measure of hassle-free transportation to get the scheduled meeting off to a good start is a great way to begin a successful meeting or visit.

It was our first wedding anniversary and John and I decided to travel the famous Highway 101 in California. We had never been to California before so we researched the trip thoroughly.

John and I flew into San Diego airport, rented a car and began our journey. California seemed like a paradise to us. The warm, dry climate with beautiful tropical plants and trees. It was simply gorgeous! We felt like we must be close to Heaven!

Later that evening we drove down to a nearby beach and watched the sunset. Afterwards we topped the evening off with a late dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Then we settled into our hotel and planned our trip for the next day.

We woke up early the next morning and had a light hotel breakfast. Afterwards we set out on our trip traveling up the California Coastal Highway known as Highway 101. That particular day was our first wedding anniversary and we were like two young kids again, happy and carefree! We saw the most lovely beaches, and stopped at look out points over the ocean along the highway. To us such beauty and wonder was mesmerizing!

I discovered that California is mostly a desert landscape. It has such history and beauty, with a lovely Hispanic influence.

I felt I could view the ocean for the rest of my life and not tire of it also! It’s lovely blue green waters and aquatic life are beautiful beyond description! The sounds of the ocean are so calming also!

We drove through many famous California towns traveling north on Highway 101. Malibu was just one of the many hip towns along our journey.

Our goal was to drive from San Diego north to San Francisco on Highway101, and stop to sight see along the way. We wanted to film the sun setting over the ocean each night. Of course we were also video taping the lovely inviting beaches and other sights also.

The second night we made it as far as Camarillo, California. We settled into a nice hotel and decided to drive over to a local beach to view the sunset. The map we used showed a couple of beaches about five miles from our hotel, so we started driving towards them. We were in rural orange grove and strawberry field country. It all appeared very nice and peaceful.

We began driving down the main street in a nearby town that supposedly led to the beach. As we drove we saw police doing what appeared to be a drug bust along the side of the street. That was very creepy, seeing people on the ground and being handcuffed with some ominous looking onlookers at the scene. We continued driving a couple of blocks further, and in a separate incident, police cars surrounded a vehicle that had hit a light pole. Police had a man pinned to the ground and were handcuffing other people. The incidents we saw in this small town were so shocking to me that I told my husband let’s just get back to our hotel. That is exactly what we did as soon as we could! We had dinner next door to our hotel that night in a quiet family restaurant.

These two incidents, so close together, on the same street, and in broad daylight, had really made me nervous. Traveling through a new state, new towns, not knowing anyone, or much about the areas we were traveling through. My mental red flags were up, and I suddenly became very apprehensive about our trip!

After a night’s rest we felt refreshed and it was a beautiful day. We hit the road again. The highway led us into the foothills of the mountains for many miles away from the ocean. The scenery was new and different as we drove along. We were once again having a great time, trying to forget the incidents of the previous night.

I could just imagine what it had been like back in the days of the wild west, Indians peeping over a hillside, or cattle being driven along by cowboys. The mountainous, desert, scenery made my mind wonder about the days of old.

Our destination that day was Morro Bay, California. We drove through beautiful Santa Barbara on the way there. We decided it was a city worth stopping at on the way back through to do some sight seeing.

Soon we were back driving along the edge of the ocean once again. That was always our favorite part of the drive. We made it to quaint, lovely, Morro Bay early in the afternoon. We went sight seeing there right away. We saw the famous giant rock formations coming up out of the ocean, and people surfing nearby. The wind was blowing very hard and it was surprisingly cool enough for our jackets. I had had the impression that all of California was sunny and warm. Not true! It is sunny and frigid at times!

We then decided to take a short drive on further north up the coast for a look at some other sights. The scenery became even more beautiful as we drove north. The breakers coming off the ocean onto the beaches were awesome! We saw walrus seals and a beautiful lighthouse. We met some interesting people to visit with at the scenic overlook areas. As we drove north, we saw a heavy fog was rolling in so we didn’t venture any further. We went back to our quaint hotel room and rested a while.

We dined in the harbor at Morro Bay that evening at a wonderful seafood restaurant and met some nice German people sitting at a nearby table. They were touring the west coast on a bus trip. They could not speak much English, but they were very friendly and comical. We communicated regardless of the language barrier.

After souvenir shopping the next morning, we decided that San Francisco was just too far north for these middle aged travelers to go. We decided to slow down a bit and start sight seeing on our way back south toward San Diego on the Highway 101 of course!

Santa Barbara was first on our list of towns to tour on the way back down Highway101. We stopped at the visitor center there and ventured out on the wharf nearby to take in the sights. Of course our video camera was always rolling so we could cherish the scenery for years to come. We met some nice people from California, and we talked a bit about our individual home states. Then my husband and I grabbed a fresh seafood sandwich from a little open air cafe and watched a dolphin swimming near the wharf. Soon it was time to get back on the road and go further south.

My husband was using his new GPS to navigate our routes. John loved the way it took him where he wanted to go. I did not like it because it took us on longer routes to our destinations quite frequently. At times it took us on routes through some derelict neighborhoods

At Santa Barbara we made a wrong turn and found ourselves on a side street just off of the highway. We decided to drive up the block and turn around, to try to get back on the highway. All of a sudden, seemingly out of no where, a large group of Latino men started running at us from the side of the road rushing our vehicle! I started screaming and my husband gunned our vehicle and started on through the crowd of yelling men. They appeared to be very threatening. Somehow my brave husband got us turned around and he sped us out of the situation. As I turned and looked back, the large group of men were shaking their fists and screaming at us. My heart was still racing and I was crying from fear.

We still to this day do not know what that was all about, but it scared me half to death! I immediately got a migraine and my husband and I couldn’t even speak for about ten minutes. We were both out of breath from the shock of the whole ordeal. I was nervous for the rest of our trip in California. After that I began watching the local news at our hotel, and the news media were talking of gangs and gang violence in California as a whole. I was suddenly aware of danger that I had never before expected.

We spent that night in Huntington Beach, California. I didn’t even want to go out to eat dinner. I went to bed early, and I told my husband I was ready to go back to St. Louis!

The next day we took our time and traveled further south. We didn’t stop until we got to La Jolla. We got a nice motel there along the beach and stayed for three nights. We stayed close by the motel, seeing the sights in and near La Jolla. It seemed safe there and the area was very lovely!

I was still shook up from the previous bad experiences, and I stayed close to my husband for safety wherever we went.

The last day of our trip we went to San Diego and toured a battleship. Then we went to Coronado Island sight seeing and had a late lunch over looking the harbor there.

I was very ready to go home the next day when we flew out of San Diego. I said I would never go to California again!

I may eat my words someday and visit northern California. But I would prefer to go there with friends that know the area very well.

I do not know if this was just our bad misfortune or if these frightening incidents happen often to tourists in California and it is just a big, well kept, secret. If you go touring in California or other places near the Mexican border, and out west for that matter, do your homework! Especially on travel safety! Find out everything you possibly can about the levels of crime in the areas you are traveling through. Then learn travel safety precautions and be aware of what to expect. Also prepare for the unexpected!

We have been many other places in a lot of other states, and never experienced this kind of terror or anything close to it that we experienced in California. It was a real adventure in more ways than we ever thought possible!

All in all, we did enjoy the awesome scenery, and brought some good memories along with the bad ones home with us. We had self taught travel experiences that my husband likes to call adventures.

If you are planning to travel, happy trails and safe travels where ever you may go!